This article explains Finalsite's automatic homepage performance optimizations, including how autoplay video looping/pausing and image slideshow limits reduce load times, and how to request that optimization be disabled.
đź’ˇQuick answers
- Why did Finalsite make changes to homepage performance? Most site traffic lands on the homepage first, and Google's ranking algorithm increasingly rewards faster page speed and mobile-first performance.
- What happens to autoplay homepage videos after 30 seconds? Videos with hidden play and pause controls loop after 30 seconds, while videos with visible controls pause after 30 seconds until a visitor clicks play again.
- Is there a limit on homepage image slideshow size? Yes, homepage slideshows display up to 20 images, and any additional images beyond that are prevented from loading to avoid slowing the page.
- What does lazy loading do on Finalsite pages? Images below the visible part of the page are not loaded until the visitor scrolls down to them, which speeds up initial page load without a noticeable effect.
- Can homepage optimization be disabled for a site? Yes, though it's not recommended; a Support ticket to help@finalsite.com can be submitted to disable it if large videos need to autoplay in full.
Why are we making changes?
For most clients, the majority of traffic funnels through your homepage first. It’s almost always the first impression that you make on new users and is often the page that receives the most views. Pages with longer load times may lead to higher bounce rates and lower average time on the page.
Google is updating its search ranking algorithm to place a greater importance on site speed and performance.Â
Google is also continuing to emphasize a mobile-first philosophy. Across all of Finalsite’s schools’ websites, an average of 40% of all traffic comes from mobile devices. Performance issues are often amplified for users visiting your homepage on a slower cellular connection.
What are we doing to improve?
- We’ve completed a transition to network and hosting partners like Cloudflare and Google Cloud Platform to leverage their proven reliability, speed, and security.
- Homepage videos set to autoplay with hidden play/pause controls will now loop after 30
seconds. Loading large videos and playing them every time a user visits your homepage slows down the load of the page.
- Homepage videos set to autoplay with visible play/pause controls will pause after 30 seconds, and the user can hit play to resume the video. Interacting with the video shows the user is engaged with the video and is purposefully watching it.
- Homepage image slideshows will display up to 20 images; if more than 20 images exist in the slideshow, we will prevent them from loading to avoid slowness. Limiting the load of images each time a user visits the homepage will again positively impact the load of the overall page.
- On all pages, we will not load images “below the fold,” meaning below the part of the page that is visible to the user. We will load those additional resources when the user begins to scroll the page. This “lazy loading” will happen without any noticeable effect to the user.
Do we have an option to disable homepage optimization?
While we strongly recommend leaving this feature enabled, there may be situations where large videos need to be auto-played in full. If you’d like to disable homepage optimization, please submit a Support ticket to help@finalsite.com.Â
We are continuously working to enhance our software to ensure Finalsite users are getting the best experience and results possible. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Finalsite’s Support Team with any additional questions or concerns.
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